Husky opens Chennai, India, operation

NEW DELHI (Feb. 15, 2:20 p.m. ET) — Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. has opened its new factory in Chennai, India, targeting both that country and other nations in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, which includes Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

“We have invested about 100 crore (1 billion rupees, or US$20.3 million),” said N. Hari Prakash, managing director of Husky Injection Molding Systems (Chennai) Pvt. Ltd., in an interview at the Plastindia trade show. “This new facility would allow us to provide prompt service in terms of local supply of spare parts to our growing clientele in the region with minimum downtime.”

Husky, based in Bolton, Ontario, said it has at least US$40 million in business from its Indian operations and expects sales to rise since it will no longer have to import as much from its European or Chinese factories.

The 60,000 square foot facility will house a technical center and focus on mold conversion as well as mold and hot runner refurbishment for local preform manufacturers. Trial production in Chennai started in January, with commercial production set to begin in March.

At Plastindia, held Feb. 1-6 in New Delhi, the company showed its H-PET AE (all-electric) preform manufacturing system, making its public debut in India. The system was running a 32 cavity mold producing a 19 gram preform for a one liter water bottle.

The company was also showing its Ultra Sidegate and UltraSync hot runner systems for the first time in India.